A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

Miguel Ríos was born in Granada in 1944. He released his first EP in 1962 for Phillips Records and, from then to the present day, has produced some of the best (and most influential) songs in Spanish rock and roll repertoire on an infinite number of albums. Known as the Father of Rock & Roll in Spain, he has been one of the most important contributors to the development of Rock music in Spain and Latin America and, throughout his long career, has been asked to play alongside many of the main exponents of this type of music on both sides of the Atlantic. From very early on in his extensive career, Miguel Ríos has shown a strong fascination for the live aspect of the music business producing the following innovative and successful tours: La Noche Roja (The Red Night) in 1978, Rock & Ríos (1982), El Rock de una Noche de Verano (Mid-summer Night’s Rock) in 1983, Rock en el Ruedo (Rock in the Bullring) in 1985, Big Band Ríos (1997), Miguel Ríos y Las Estrellas del Rock Latino (Miguel Ríos and the Latin-American Rock Stars) in 2002 and 60mp3 (2005). He was part of “El Gusto es Nuestro” tour (It Is Our Pleasure) with Ana Belén, Victor Manuel and Joan Serrat in 1996) and sang with Ana Belén and the OCG (The City of Granada Orchestra) directed by Josep Pons, with a repertoire by Kurt Weill in 1999. Throughout his 50 yearlong career, he has travelled all over Spain and half way round the world on countless tours and festivals.

He also directed and presented the following first-of-their-kind live music television series: Que Noche la de Aquél Año (It’s a Hard Year’s Night) for RTVE in 1987, Fiebre del Sur (Southern Fever) in 1993 and “Buenas Noches Bienvenidos” (Good Evening and Welcome) in 2007 for Canal Sur Television amongst many other programmes and documentaries.

His dilated and varied array of recordings – more than 40 albums since 1962 (many of which have reached the top of the charts half way around the world) – have been culminated by the release of his latest record "Solo o en compañis de otros" (On my Own or in the Company of Others) towards the end of 2008, receiving high critical acclaim.

Amongst many other awards and official distinctions, Miguel Ríos has received Gold Medals from the city of Granada, Beaux Arts, for Lifetime Achievement and from Andalusia. As well as Favourite Son of Granada, several “Premios Onda” Prizes, Prizes from The Music Academy of Spain and an endless list of public distinctions to his career and different productions. Well known for his social involvement, Miguel Ríos has sung in numerous benefit concerts in favour of the Unprotected and Nature.

The summer of 2009 will see him undertaking “a long parade round the bullring, as if it were to be the last” as Miguel himself says; a tour that will take him round the Spanish territory and Latin America, where he will be singing his new songs and the songs that have made him one of the best rock singers in the Spanish language.

Miguel Ríos is a fundamental artist, always maintaining his dignity as an artist alongside his social commitment. One cannot understand our recent history without Rock & Roll and without Miguel Ríos it would be impossible to understand Spanish Rock music’s path.